DANNY Galbraith believes former Hibernian team-mate Derek Riordan can help fire York City to safety.

Ex-Scotland international Riordan has joined bottom-of-the-table City having been without a club after ending last season with East Fife.

But Galbraith saw the 33-year-old forward plunder 27 goals during the two seasons the pair played at Easter Road together between 2009 and 2011.

Riordan has since led a nomadic existence, leaving Edinburgh for China before going on to brief spells with St Johnstone, Bristol Rovers, Alloa and Brechin prior to his stint at East Fife.

With a career tally of 127 goals to his name, though, Riordan is being backed by Galbraith to add potency to the Minstermen’s attack.

“If you’re summing Derek up, you would say he’s a goalscorer and, I suppose, a creator,” Galbraith said. “I’m sure that’s what the manager is looking for because goals change games and, if he can chip in with a few or assist a few, it will be a good move.

“It’s a few years ago since I played with Derek but I think he’s matured a lot since then and he seems determined to take this opportunity so, hopefully, he will.”

Galbraith, meanwhile, was pleased to net his first goal in English or Scottish football at the weekend since he grabbed a stoppage-time winner for Hibs in front of 41,000 at Celtic Park six years ago.

His match-clinching strike during City’s 2-1 triumph against Stevenage also came in the final throes and the 25-year-old winger admitted: “When I do score, they tend to be important goals – I just need to score more often.

“I need to take more shots too, but I had been unlucky during the last few games. I put one just wide of the post at Yeovil and, at Carlisle, I thought my shot was going in only for it to come back out but, thankfully, we scored from it.

“Saturday’s goal was a great feeling because of the importance of the game. We needed to win and deserved a win but, when you deserve to win, you have to make sure you do and, at 1-1 in stoppage time, we were up against it.

“It was vital we got three points and, maybe, we wouldn’t have chosen to do it that way because of all the anxiety, but there’s no sweeter way to win a game. Hopefully, it can be the start of something now because it was a big win when you look at results elsewhere.”

Galbraith’s goal was a fine solo effort but he confessed that the first thought in his mind was not to surrender possession, whilst also revealing that one of his team-mates was imploring him to pass before he fired in from the edge of the penalty box.

“The first thing I thought was don’t lose the ball, because I realised I was almost in my own half, but I managed to turn well, get away from the defender and things started to open up from there,” Galbraith recalled. “I was then delighted for everybody at the club to see the ball hit the back of the net.

“I think Michael Coulson would have had something to say if I hadn’t scored as well, because he was screaming for it, but I just felt it sat up well for me to hit it. Hopefully, it can give us a big lift and some confidence going into the coming games.”